Bottom of the Ladder
by Medilia
Summary: In spired by a line from Xenobia's 'Gaurdian'. What would it be like if there were many Turks? What would it be like to be among the lower ranks? What would it be like for Reno in the lower Ranks? R&R please


There were two groups of Turk…

A/N: Okay, so this is the second time I've written this story and I may re-write it again. It was inspired by a line from 'Guardian' by Xenobia _"You've never really seen the very bottom of the ladder, Reno." _'Guardian' Chapter 20. And it just got me thinking about what it would be like if there was a group below the Turks we know and love. Then I just threw Reno into that group because we all like to see Reno suffer XD. Rated for language and adult themes. Implied non-con and male/male rape and abuse.

I threw back the door to Tseng's office ignoring the protests of his secretary who called to me saying he was talking to people. The WRO officials who were speaking with Tseng spun around in their seats as the door hit the wall, the handle leaving a nice little hole, my boss on the other hand looked up calmly with an eyebrow raised his dark eyes calm but questioning, "We need to talk, Tseng. Right now," I growled.

Now before you jump to conclusions, I don't usually act this way, at least not towards Tseng, but this was different and I was too angry to think straight.  
"Reno, it can wait. As you can see I am busy and you are interrupting," his voice was smooth, his face deadpan but his eyes were issuing a silent warning that I would pay for my out burst later and if I were to disobey him it would only be worse, but I really couldn't care less.  
"No, it can't wait. We need ta talk right now," I crossed the room stepping between the two seated WRO officers who were there to over see what the Turks had been up to. It was the only way that AVALANCHE would let us restart ShinRa, once a month Reeve would send two WRO officers to ShinRa to see the reports from the Turks and Rufus on what we were doing.  
Tseng stood up, now I had pissed him off, "Reno, get out of my office, now. What ever you want to talk to me about can wait for five minutes."  
I still didn't back down, "No, it can't fucking wait any longer, yo. Apparently it has already waited for two fucking weeks before I was even told! An' I found out from Rude! Fuckin' Rude!"  
Tseng understood now what I was talking about, he sighed, "Gentlemen," he said turning to the WRO members, "If you could please excuse us, I need to speak with my second-in-command."  
The two men stood up nodding to Tseng as they left, "We'll go speak with President ShinRa," one said, "We'll come back to you after that."  
Tseng nodded waiting until the closed the door before he offered me a seat, he circled back to his side of the desk, "First of all I had every intention of telling you-"  
"Really? Then why did I find out from Rude? I thought I was second-in-command yo!" I cried.  
Tseng took a deep breath, "Because, until five minutes ago when the WRO officers arrived I didn't even know whether or not it would happen -which it is- and I didn't want you to behave like this."  
"How-"  
Tseng raised his hand to silence me, "Reno, I know that this is hard on you, after everything that happened, but it will be different to how you remember."  
"Really!? Will all of them be treated like me!? Or will it just be a select group who feel like they can't refuse?" I screamed I could feel the blood rushing to my face in anger.  
Tseng stood up and rounded the desk to my side, he took the empty seat and placed his hands on my upper arms, for an assassin he can be extremely gentle, his black eyes met mine, I had known him long enough to see the switch from "Boss Mode" to "Fatherly Mode". He took a deep breath and I did the same. Then it happened, a tear broke past my eye as all the memories were bought back…

Back when I first started the Turks there were technically two groups back then; 'The Elite Turks' were the ones who were close to the President and his executives, like Tseng. When someone said Turk they were who you thought about. Then there were 'The Other Turks' that would be me. 'The Other Turks' had their own sort of hierarchy to answer to and they answered to the Elite, who of course answered to President ShinRa. We were what made up the bulk of the Turks, glorified SOLDIER I heard Hojo say once, but that was after I joined the elite. Anyway, the lower ranking Turks were mainly based in Junon, though there were those who were put in places such as Rocket Town, we would take care of small jobs that were not seen as worthy of the elite. While the elite assassinated people and wiped out towns, we would clean up the dead bodies, while the elite would tail the President and his executives we would patrol the towns and cities. It was the real dirty work in my opinion, though unlike the elite you didn't have to be heartless or sadistic. You see I was made for the elite, but I didn't start there.  
Getting to the point, I was based in Junon, I had come from the slums of Midgar and after proving my worth I was placed in the Turks, the same rules apply in the lower ranks as the elite, "Turk is a life long career, it ends your life ends" and that is where my problems were. I didn't want to leave the Turks, the work wasn't that good nor was the pay, but I was fed, clothed and didn't have to worry about where I would have to sleep. Lower ranking Turks were kept in squads and within the squads we of course had partners, my squad leader was also my partner, at first I though it was just luck of the draw, I learnt differently.

At first it was pretty good, my partner –Lachlan- was nice to me, he looked out for me and guided me. I was happy with my lot, even if it wasn't the elite that I dreamed of, but everything changed two months after I was placed in his squad. Lachlan and I had returned to the base after a patrol in Junon, he invited me to come back to his room at the base, being a squad leader meant that his room was a hell of a lot nicer then mine. He let me drink and smoke, I thought it was all pretty cool, it started with just a brush of a hand against my thigh, then a tap on the backside. I thought nothing of it, but he kept inviting me back to his room after that, and Turk Reno, seventeen years old was too ignorant to see what was going on. It is kind of strange for me looking back at it, I mean I was a street kid, I had spent the better part of my life avoiding guys like him in the slums. Anyways, I guess I just didn't want to believe it at first, but then one day it got serious.

Once again after a patrol Lachlan took me to his room, a ritual for the past three months, he gave me a cigarette and a shot of whisky, we sat on his bed watching some stupid sitcom on the television. He shifted so our sides pressed together, I was about to moved away when his arm came around my waist, now let me just point out that Lachlan was built like Rude, though his face looked as if it was carved of wood and was covered in scars and he had thick brown hair that bunched together in small tufts. Lachlan used his free hand to turn my chin to face him, I began to struggle against him.  
"What are you doing!?" I cried.  
"Shh," he cooed, "It's okay."  
"NO!" I pressed the end of my cigarette into his arm, he cried, pulling back.  
I stood up to leave but he grabbed me pulling me back, and restraining me, "Now listen Reno," he hissed, "I am your superior, if you don't do this you will be disobeying me and I can have you shot for it."  
I believed him… It was one of those times when my usual defiance could have helped me… but I was scared for my life.

I whimpered in fear as he held me tightly, "Going to be a good boy?" I nodded and my torment began.

I won't tell you all the details, but I was used by him legally he was rapping me and if I angered him –which I discovered was pretty easy to do- he would beat me, I have always been clumsy so the bruises were easy to explain to my fellow Turks. I had a good friend back then, his name was Archer and he was in my squad, I think he knew the truth, and I think he might have told Tseng, but I never found out if he did, he was shot on a mission three days before I met Tseng and Tseng is all for confidentiality. Anyway, for the next year Lachlan used my body. I started to lose my spirit, I felt depressed and most days I didn't even want to get out of bed. Archer got really worried about me and he got me to be put on vacation, but I only got a week before Lachlan called me back.

Exactly one year, four months, one week and two days after the first time I was raped –and yes I did count the days- five elite Turks came to the base for an inspection, Tseng was second-in-command back then and he was leading them. There were a hundred of us, five squads of twenty –except mine, Lachlan hadn't replaced Archer yet- and so each elite inspected a squad. Guess who got Tseng…  
Tseng spoke to each of us individually, he assured us that anything said would be confidential.

I was last to be called to speak with Tseng, it was late evening, an hour before dinner in the mess hall. I went into the office that Tseng had commandeered from Lachlan so he could speak with us all in private. I had no intention of telling him anything, I knew Lachlan bugged his office, I _didn't _know that Tseng had a jammer just for such an occasion.  
"Reno of squad two, correct?" He said in his smooth voice as I entered.  
"Yes sir," I replied clearly trying to keep the slum drawl from my voice.  
"Recruited a year and five months ago from the slums of Midgar."  
"Yes sir," I stood stiffly in front of the desk, with my tie choking me, I have always hated wearing the uniform 'properly'. Back then I wore it, but only because I knew Lachlan would beat me if I made his squad look bad.  
"You may sit," he waved his hand towards the seat across from his while he quickly read my file.  
"Thank you sir," I sat down trying not to fidget while I waited for him to speak with me.  
After what felt like an eternity of him reading over my file he looked up with his black eyes, he gave a small smirk, "Enjoying the work?" he inquired smoothly.  
My lips twitched, "Better then living in the slums sir."  
Tseng nodded placing his hands on the table with his fingers intertwined, "So you are happy here?"  
Yeah, like I would say it sucks, shoot me now, "I am content sir," I replied clenching my fists in my lap so I wouldn't fidget.  
Tseng nodded, "There are no problems, I can assure you that anything you tell me is confidential. Unfortunately in the past there have been incidents among the Turks that could have been prevented if the Turks involved had spoken to higher ranking Turks."  
Yeah, I knew straight away that he knew, I blinked a few times before my brain kicked into gear, "Incidents sir?" I questioned feigning curiosity.  
Tseng cleared his throat, "Squad leaders abusing their powers over Turks of lower rank."  
"Oh, that is disgusting," I frowned, "I don't think any thing like that is going on," I lied.  
Tseng's black eyes bore into mine and while trying not to fidget I also fought to maintain eye contact, I swallowed my eyes flicking to the dot on his head, I wanted to ask about it but I resisted. Tseng nodded, "It is, and it is inexcusable for any squad leader to abuse their power like that," I nodded in agreement, Tseng rubbed his brow tiredly, "Very well you are dismissed, but if you ever need to talk to someone about anything, anything at all and you don't think your squad leader will listen you may call me."  
I stood up, "Yes sir, thank you sir," I left.

Since Lachlan wasn't able to listen in on anything Tseng spoke to us about he was agitated and suspicious and beating me was, apparently, a great way to relieve stress. However all the marks from that night were hidden by my clothes, the elite were still at the base and Lachlan didn't want trouble.

Tseng knew that if he tried to push me I would most likely close up, so instead he sent Rude in for the kill, so to speak. The squads were demonstrating their fighting abilities to the elite, the leaders did it hoping that by showing off how they handled their squads so well they would be taken into the elite, everyone else did it hoping that their fighting abilities would catch the eye of the elite and get promoted. So when my squad came up and we did the exercise I added my own personal flair.  
I noticed Tseng watching me, so did Lachlan and once again his suspicion was roused, as he moved amongst us calling the exercise he paused near me and muttered, "Unless you want to be punished stop showing off," then he moved on I went back to the boring exercise.

After we were done we went to lunch, the elite spread themselves through the mess hall, all part of Tseng's plan of course.

A big Costan elite Turk sat down next to me, "Those were pretty good moves you were showing off today," he commented in his deep voice.  
I jumped, for a big guy he sure is silent, over the years though I have become able to sense him, anyway he gave me a bit of a fright, "Thank you sir," I said as I slowed my heart beat.  
He nodded, "With moves like that Tseng might bring you up into the elite."  
I snorted, "I doubt it sir, I am nothing special," even back then I could sense that this two sided conversation made him uneasy, these days I do most of the talking.  
"We will see what Tseng thinks," he shrugged.  
After my initial fear of Rude had passed I began to like him, by the end of the lunch break I was chatting away. Rude was mostly silent, only speaking when he needed to, it was weird because for the last one year, four months, one week and two days I felt alive and wanted.

The five elite Turks stayed in Junon for a week, I think it was the best week of my time in Junon, Lachlan didn't touch me during that time and I found a friend in Rude. I was genuinely sad and scared when Tseng announced that they were leaving, he later told me that he left because he knew that as long as he was around Lachlan wouldn't touch me and if he wasn't touching me Tseng had no case against him, though on the flip side as long as I denied the abuse he also had no case. After they left that Lachlan free week came back to bite me, using my tie as a gag he cut two lines into my face and filled them with red ink to remind me that I was _his_. After he had finished raping and beating me he let me go telling me I could take the next day off. I lied and told people I had gotten the tattoos on my day off.

While months passed and my life in the Junon base became worse I started to consider defecting from the Turks anything to escape the abuse from Lachlan, but every time I was about to leave the fear of dying stopped me. I was probably the quietest Turk in the base, if there was anyone else like me I never noticed them, I was a total introvert, hard to believe ain't it?  
If I wasn't on missions I would lock myself in my room to avoid Lachlan, I use to be room mates with Archer who still hadn't been replaced, his partner sort of floated around between squads, stepping in if someone was injured and so on. While I began to fall into a deep depression Tseng and Rude were trying to find a way to get me to open up, though they were certain that Lachlan was abusing me without solid evidence or an accusation by me they could do nothing.

Two years, one month, one week and one day had passed since it all began, I was sparing with another Turk ignoring the pain and protests my body made as I fought, every hit he landed hurt as he would unwittingly hit bruises left by Lachlan. The two of us were so entangled in our fight that we didn't notice when Tseng and Rude arrived escorting Veld, the Turk's first-in-command. The three of them silently watched us, I swear to this day that Tseng has ESP because according to Rude, Tseng had bugged Veld until he agreed to go to the base and as they passed through Junon the Wutaian Turk had taken a back road to reach the base faster, this led to them arriving seconds before my sparring partner landed a kick on my stomach where most of my bruises were. I flew back screaming in agony as I hit the sand covered ground of the arena.  
"Reno!" Several other Turks cried rushing towards me as I rolled into a ball.  
"Gaia! I didn't know I could hit you that hard, I'm sorry!" the other Turk cried.  
"Out of the way please," Veld pushed through the ranks to me.  
Lachlan also appeared, "Reno, are you alright?" he asked noting that I was clutching my belly, "I've got him sir," he said to Veld pulling me close while I whimpered softly.  
Rude brushed Lachlan aside, "I'll carry him to the sick bay," he said lifting me bridal style.  
"I'm fine, yo," I moaned softly.  
Veld straightened up brushing the sand of his pant legs, "I beg to differ dear boy," he said turning to Lachlan, "Sick bay please."  
"Of course sir," Lachlan nodded hastily leading the elite towards the sick bay, the other Turks watched on curiously.

When I arrived at the sick bay the nurses slowly helped me stretch out, "I'm fine," I insisted trying to hide the abuse by holding the bottom of my shirt down. The elite observed silently, still like statues while Lachlan stood behind them shifting his weight nervously. After almost an entire minute of me fighting off the nurses Tseng stepped forward and on two quick movements he had pulled my arms up effectively making me lift my shirt to reveal the bruises.  
"Reno," Lachlan whispered in supposed shock having quickly thought up a lie, a way to pass the blame, "Why didn't you stop sparing before it got that bad?" he moved forward as if to comfort me, but Tseng released my arms and flung his arm out blocking Lachlan, he slowly turned to Lachlan his eyes ablaze. Now Tseng seems calm and patient and don't get me wrong he is, but even he can only be pushed so far, and Lachlan's abuse had pushed him over the edge. Despite everything Tseng is a Turk and an elite at that, Turks are dangerous when angered -or on a mission- and he was angry.  
"Drop the act," he growled turning his back on me to face Lachlan.  
"Tseng," Veld's voice was firm and demanded respect, much like Tseng's, but Tseng has a wild streak all of his own.  
"Sorry sir, but I refuse to allow this to escalate further. Since I came to this base nine months ago I've known about this abuse and due to lack of evidence I had to let it go on. I won't anymore," Tseng grabbed Lachlan by the arm, "You are coming to Midgar with us," he said darkly flicking out a pair of hand cuffs, he attached one to Lachlan's left wrist.  
Remember when I said that Lachlan and Rude were about the same size? Yeah well he showed off his strength. With little effort he flung Tseng across the sick bay, he landed against the window frame.  
I had always been awe inspired by Lachlan's fighting skills, but he was nothing compared to the three elite Turks. Lachlan spun around to defend himself from Rude and Veld who had burst into action. The two nurses who had been helping me fled through a back door and locked it, I would have tried to do the same but I couldn't look away from the fight. Lachlan tried to defend himself from the Two Turks but it was futile, within seconds Tseng was back in the fight. Rude flipped Lachlan onto his stomach while Tseng grabbed the man's right arm and locked it behind his back making him squirm harder and cry out. Veld grabbed Lachlan's left arm and attached the loose cuff to his right wrist.  
"Rude," Veld said holding up his own pair of cuffs, the Costan nodded allowing his boss to attach one end to his wrist and the other to the chain that connected Lachlan's cuffs. Rude climbed off my squad leader and pulled him to his feet. While Veld and Rude took Lachlan away Tseng came to me pulling a cure materia from his pocket, "Cure," he said holding it over my bruises stomach.  
I whimpered softly watching the bruises disappear, "W-why?"  
Tseng's dark eyes softened and he helped me sit up, "Men like Lachlan disgust me," he chuckled, "sounds odd coming from someone like me, but when you have people who look up to you and trust you it is your responsibility to look after them. I wish I could have helped you sooner, but you were too scared or stubborn to tell me the truth and until now I had no real evidence."

Have you ever had a really long car trip with a screaming kid in the back? Well that was what it was like driving back to Midgar with Lachlan locked in the back of the SUV. I am not a patient person unlike my companions and Lachlan got on my nerves fast, I grounded my teeth glaring out the front windscreen.

Rude chuckled, "Don't worry, we'll shut him up soon enough," he assured me before coaxing me into a conversation that quickly became one sided.  
Lachlan eventually got on Tseng's nerves as well, "Excuse me for a moment sir," he said to Veld pulling over and loosened his tie.  
"Use mine," I offered glad to be rid of the noose, I handed the fabric to Tseng, he opened the back of the car and climbed in, Lachlan kicked and spat at him while the Wutaian calmly climbed on top of him and used my tie as a gag.  
"Much better," Tseng nodded climbing back into the driver's seat, I chuckled while the three other Turks smiled.

Among the lower ranking Turks if someone needs to be terminated they are sent to the elite to be tried and if they are guilty of a crime against the Turks the elite deal with them, I'm sure you can guess what happens. Anyway among the elite if someone, Turk or not hurts you and they are captured you get to exact your own justice. When we arrived in Midgar Lachlan was placed in a cell while Tseng and Rude convinced Veld that I was worthy of the elite. Veld finally gave in, after observing my fighting skills he promoted me.

Tseng escorted me to Lachlan's cell, in his hand was a brief case, "What's in the brief case?" I asked, I still wasn't comfortable speaking with my usual slum drawl around the elite, it just felt disrespectful.  
"I'll tell you soon," he assured me as we moved through the labyrinth of hall ways, "and if you are going to speak differently at least make it sound normal, I would much prefer slum drawl over that stiff emotionless accent you have given yourself."  
I raised an eyebrow, "Ya sure you wan' to hear this all the time, sir?"  
"I can tolerate it, though it would be in your best interests to make an effort in improving it so you can speak to executives without sounding like an idiot," He turned down a short hallway and stopped in front of a cell door, he swiped his access car and entered the cell with me I tow.

Lachlan glared at us from his place hand cuffed to the metal table, "Reno is a liar, I never touched him,' he growled, "You can't hurt me, you have no proof."  
Tseng raised an eyebrow, "Veld, the leader of the Turks saw the marks on Reno's body, there is no denying he was abused," he said smoothly placing the brief case down on the table and unlocking it.  
"There is no proof it was me."  
Tseng looked up with an emotionless yet cold face, "Alright then, you didn't do it," he opened the brief case and turned it around revealing the contents to Lachlan.  
The eyes of my ex-squad leader widened, I craned my neck to see what was in it, "No," he gasped.  
Tseng waved me over to him turning the case so I could see the various knives and blades that were inside, "Veld has warranted your death, since this is a Turk matter his word is final, and since it was Reno who was on the receiving end of the abuse it is his right to kill you in a way he sees fit."  
I glanced at Tseng nervously, "S-sir?"  
He turned to me, "Let me see how good you are at the finer arts of being a Turk, you can fight but how good are you with torture?" he asked, "Take your time Reno," Tseng crossed the room taking a chair with him. The Wutaian placed himself in the corner behind me and observed my actions for the next four hours. I won't go into the details of what I did to Lachlan, but after four hours a bullet to the brain ended his pathetic life, but for three hours he had screamed for mercy. I watch, covered in his blood but satisfied.

Veld gave Tseng permission to do a total review of all lower ranking Turk bases, in total there were exactly two hundred and four Turks in Gaia including the elite, after Tseng had finished there were ninety-three. The amount of abuse of power and rape that had occurred was sickening. After Tseng cleaned out the ranks Veld stopped brining in new recruits and slowly our numbers fell until there were fifty Turks spread through out Gaia.  
When Tseng came into power he said that he would not bring in a second base again and that was what this fight was all about…

"Reno," his voice pulls me from my memories and I meet his eye, "I know how you feel about all of this. That is why I want you to be the over seer of the new base. When new recruits are bought in I want you to introduce yourself to them, tell them what happened to you if you must, but I want them to know there is someone they can go to if anything happens," Tseng's smooth voice is soothing and I wipe my eyes.  
After taking a deep breath to calm myself down I speak, "Alright, but you were there for me… it is fear that stops people from talking."  
Tseng nodded, "I know, but we need more Turks with ShinRa rebuilding executives will need body guards since Rufus has decided that we are his personal bodyguards," Tseng chuckles and I give him a small smile, Tseng, Rude and myself have watched Rufus grow and we ourselves are all pretty attached to him and after everything we have been through together Elena is part of our little family too, "My thoughts were to have twenty Turks trained as body-guards and since we swore not to create a new SOLDIER wether or not they were mako enhanced, there will be thirty trained to escort cargo and protect it like SOLDIER use to do. Then there will be another twenty-five trained for general purposes."  
"Seventy-five Turks…" I say softly  
"Seventy-nine counting us," Tseng corrects me, "Since there will be so many I will be assigning three Turks who will be trained by us to lead the three new types of Turk and you will watch over them," he raises his hand to stop me from cutting him off, "If you find out about any abuse and have solid reason to believe it is occurring wether or not the abused tells you, tell me and it will immediately be investigated, if you know without a doubt who is doing it…" he trails off.  
I smile taking my EMR in my hand, "It will be dealt with in the Turk way."

A/N: I had another 100 words but it felt a bit cheesy so I ended it there. R&R please XD. Criticism welcome but flames used to cook marshmallows and carrots for me and the plot bunnies.

P.S. I just re-read the story to fix up some grammar errors.  
I'd like to say Thank you to Takebou Ishimatsu for your awesome review, don't know what you mean about funny spacing though it looks fine to me. Anyway thanks for the review XD.


End file.
